Zap2it:"House of Cards" is such a symbol of new media's place in entertainment, do you look at social media to see reactions to the show?

Kate Mara: I am on Twitter, not on anything else, and it's always really exciting to see what people are saying. As of now, I'm not afraid of that ... maybe I will be one day. I find it very interesting, and I think it's really cool that we have that outlet.

Zap2it: Your career has encompassed many independent films as well as big studio productions. How do you assess your job choices?

Kate Mara: I don't want to do anything that's not going to keep me on my toes. I've been doing this for more than half my life at this point, and now that I know what I want and will keep me interested, I know that it's not worth my time to do things I'm not passionate about in some way -- and that won't help me grow as an actor or as a person. That's basically how I make my choices.

Zap2it: How often do you and your fellow-actress sister Rooney talk shop?

Kate Mara: I ask my sister for advice if I'm ever questioning whether to take a job. I called her for advice on ("House of Cards" executive producer
David) Fincher (who had directed
Rooney in
"The Social Network" and
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo") when I first started working with him.

It's such a special thing to have a family member doing the same job as you. She didn't start acting until much later, but it makes me feel sort of looked-after, having her and knowing that she "gets" it.